Evaluating wetland losses with hydric soils

A study was conducted to determine if surveys of hydric soils could be used as a historic baseline to estimate wetland losses. Soils were digitized from county soil surveys and wetlands were digitized from National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) maps for two adjacent coastal counties in North Carolina. The two counties were located on the lower Atlantic Coastal Plain and have extensive areas of hydric soils, as much as 96% of the land surface area. Using hydric soils from soil surveys and wetlands from NWI maps, wetland losses since settlement were calculated to be 65% for Washington County and 38% for Tyrrell County. The NWI wetlands were compared to a mid-1950s wetlands survey to determine recent wetland losses. A large percentage of the wetland losses occurred between 1950 and 1980 for Washington County compard to Tyrrell County. Wetland losses for both counties occurred primarily on mineral hydric soils and the current wetlands distribution corresponded well with the distribution of organic soils.     

三江平原流域湿地景观破碎化过程研究

以流域为研究单元,利用历史图件和遥感数据资料及GIS技术,系统分析了该区典型流域50年来湿地景观的破碎化过程.结果表明,该区湿地景观破碎化在斑块个体和空间结构两方面变化极大.景观斑块个体变化主要表现为最大斑块、平均斑块面积不断缩小,斑块密度不断增大,斑块形状破碎化指数不断增大,景观内部生境面积破碎化指数不断上升;空间结构变化主要表现为湿地景观由初始基质景观逐渐变为河岸带景观;同时,随着农田面积逐渐扩大,隔离湿地斑体数量不断上升,隔离度不断增大;景观空间分布模式由“大陆-岛屿模式”向“卫星型模式”转变,最后变化为“完全隔离型模式”.导致该区湿地景观破碎化的主导因素是大规模的农业开发,反映了人类活动对湿地景观的巨大影响.     

A multi-scale approach to prioritize wetland restoration for watershed-level water quality improvement

Wetland restoration is commonly presented as an important strategy for maintaining and enhancing the water quality and ecological capital of watershed-scale ecosystems. Prioritizing restoration sites on the landscape is often a haphazard process based on widely held, though often untested, assumptions about relationships between watershed characteristics and water quality. We present a framework to target and prioritize wetland restoration locations using both regional and watershed-level screening models. The regression-tree and random forest models presented in this paper identify watershed variables with the strongest relationships to a given water quality parameter, present a clear hierarchy of variable importance, and present approximate thresholds in watershed area where these variables express the greatest impact on water quality. The proportion of watersheds classified as prior-converted agricultural land was an important predictor of both ortho and total phosphorus. Fortunately because prior-converted agricultural lands were historically wetlands, they are often very suitable for wetland restoration. These sites often have poorly-drained soils requiring artificial drainage to be suitable for agriculture. These drainage systems become conduits for transporting phosphorus from agricultural field and to area streams and rivers. Maintaining natural land-cover within stream buffers is identified as another important predictor of water quality. This seems to be especially true with regard to NO₃–NO₂ concentrations. Our model results support specific management recommendations including: (a) exclusion of agricultural land-uses from riparian buffers, (b) maintaining or increasing watershed-level wetland-cover and (c) reducing wetland fragmentation.     

Wetland hydrologic class change from prior to European settlement to present on the Des Moines Lobe, Iowa

It has been hypothesized that wetland restoration policies have favored the restoration of the wettest classes of wetlands on the Des Moines Lobe of the prairie pothole region. To test this hypothesis we compared pre-drainage wetland distributions based on soils data and National Wetland Inventory (NWI) estimates of contemporary wetland distributions on the Des Moines Lobe. Based on the NWI data, the Des Moines Lobe today has only 3–4% of the wetland area that it had prior to the onset of drainage. On the basis of their soils, pre-drainage wetlands were predominantly temporarily flooded to saturated wetlands (84%), with only about 6% of the wetlands with water regimes classified as semi-permanently to permanently flooded. Depending on the interpretation of wetland modifiers on NWI maps, wetlands classified by the NWI as semi-permanent to permanently flooded make up more than 41% of the wetland area while wetlands with temporarily flooded to saturated water regimes account for 45–58% of the Lobe’s wetland area. The water regimes of contemporary wetlands when compared to their historic regimes suggest that many of today’s wetlands have different water regimes than they did prior to the onset of drainage. Because of the regional lowering of the groundwater table, many of today’s wetlands have drier water regimes, but some have wetter water regimes because they receive drainage tile inputs. Our results indicate that restoration has favored the wettest classes of wetlands and that temporarily to saturated wetland classes have not been restored in proportion to their relative abundance in the pre-drainage landscape.     

Using ecotechnology to address water quality and wetland habitat loss problems in the Mississippi basin: a hierarchical approach

Human activities are affecting the environment at continental and global scales. An example of this is the Mississippi basin where there has been a large scale loss of wetlands and water quality deterioration over the past century. Wetland and riparian ecosystems have been isolated from rivers and streams. Wetland loss is due both to drainage and reclamation, mainly for agriculture, and to isolation from the river by levees, as in the Mississippi delta. There has been a decline in water quality due to increasing use of fertilizers, enhanced drainage and the loss of wetlands for cleaning water. Water quality has deteriorated throughout the basin and high nitrogen in the Mississippi river is causing a large area of hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico adjacent to the Mississippi delta. Since the causes of these problems are distributed over the basin, the solution also needs to be distributed over the basin. Ecotechnology and ecological engineering offer the only ecologically sound and cost-effective method of solving these problems. Wetlands to promote nitrogen removal, mainly through denitrification but also through burial and plant uptake, offer a sound ecotechnological solution. At the level of the Mississippi basin, changes in farming practices and use of wetlands for nitrogen assimilation can reduce nitrogen levels in the River. There are additional benefits of restoration of wetland and riverine ecosystems, flood control, reduction in public health threats, and enhanced wildlife and fisheries. At the local drainage basin level, the use of river diversions in the Mississippi delta can address both problems of coastal land loss and water quality deterioration. Nitrate levels in diverted river water are rapidly reduced as water flows through coastal watersheds. At the local level, wetlands are being used to treat municipal wastewater. This is a cost-effective method, which results in improved water quality, enhanced wetland productivity and increased accretion. The problems in the Mississippi basin serves as an example for other watersheds in the Gulf of Mexico. This is especially important in Mexico, where there is a strong need for economical solutions to ecological problems. The Usumacinta delta-Laguna de Terminos regional ecosystem is an example where ecotechnological approaches offer realistic solutions to environmental problems.     

The US Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetlands Inventory Project

In 1974, the US Fish and Wildlife Service directed its Office of Biological Services to design and conduct an inventory of the Nation's wetlands. The mandate was to develop and disseminate a technically sound, comprehensive data base concerning the characteristics and extent of the Nation's wetlands. The purpose of this data base is to foster wise use of the Nation's wetlands and to expedite decisions that may affect this important resource. To accomplish this, state-of-the-art principles and methodologies pertaining to all aspects of wetland inventory were assimilated and developed by the newly formed project. By 1979, when the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) Project became operational, it was clear that two very different kinds of information were needed. First, detailed wetland maps were needed for site-specific decisions. Second, national statistics developed through statistical sampling on the current status and trends of wetlands were needed in order to provide information to support the development or alteration of Federal programs and policies. The NWI has produced wetland maps (scale=1:24 000) for 74% of the conterminous United States. It has also produced wetland maps (scale=1:63 360) for 24% of Alaska. Nearly 9000 of these wetland maps, representing 16.7% of the continental United States, have been computerized (digitized). In addition to maps, the NWI has produced other valuable wetland products. These include a statistically-based report on the status and trends of wetlands that details gains and losses in United States wetlands that have occurred from the mid-1970's to the mid-1980's. Other wetland products include a list of wetland (hydric) soils, a national list of wetland plant species, wetland reports for certain individual States such as New Jersey and Florida, and a wetland values data base.     

A comparison of wetland characteristics between Agricultural Conservation Easement Program and public lands wetlands in West Virginia,USA

In West Virginia, USA, there are 24 conservation easement program wetlands enrolled in the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). These wetlands are located on private agricultural land and are passively managed. Due to their location within fragmented agricultural areas, wetlands enrolled in ACEP in West Virginia have the potential to add wetland ecosystem services in areas that are lacking these features. We evaluated ACEP wetlands compared to reference wetlands on public land in West Virginia by using surrounding land cover, vegetative cover, and wetland features and stressors such as the presence or absence of erosion, upland inclusion, algal mats, and evidence of impacts from the surrounding landscape as surrogate measurements of wetland function on 13 ACEP wetlands and 10 reference wetlands. ACEP wetlands had higher percentages of tree coverage and a higher proportion of agricultural land in the areas immediately surrounding the wetland. Reference wetlands had higher percent coverage of emergent vegetation and had a higher proportion of forest in the immediate landscape. Our findings suggest that ACEP wetlands provide valuable early successional and forested wetland cover in a state that is largely forested. Because of this, it is important to maintain and even expand ACEP in West Virginia to continue providing a valuable source of early successional wetland habitat.     

流域湿地景观空间梯度格局及其影响因素分析

景观空间格局研究是景观生态学的核心研究内容之一。吸取一般景观生态学的空间思想和实际工作积累,从流域尺度,研究湿地景观基本空间梯度格局及其影响因素。研究表明,流域中湿地景观具有特殊的纵向梯度、横向梯度和景观内部结构特征,它们构成了流域湿地景观空间结构的主体,在维护流域整体景观结构和生态功能方面发挥重要作用。自然和人为因素都会影响流域湿地景观的空间梯度格局,但自然因素主要影响湿地景观内部结构的复杂性。而人为因素对流域湿地景观纵向梯度、横向梯度的连续性和内部结构的多样性均产生重要影响。     

Waterbird Response to Wetlands Restored Through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program

Abstract: Conservation programs that facilitate restoration of natural areas on private land are one of the best strategies for recovery of valuable wetland acreage in critical ecoregions of the United States. Wetlands enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) provide many ecological functions but may be particularly important as habitat for migrant and resident waterbirds; however, use of, and factors associated with use of, CREP wetlands as stopover and breeding sites have not been evaluated. We surveyed a random sample of CREP wetlands in the Illinois River watershed in 2004 and 2005 to quantify use of restored wetlands by spring migrating and breeding waterbirds. Waterbirds used 75% of wetlands during spring migration. Total use-day abundance for the entire spring migration ranged from 0 to 49,633 per wetland and averaged 6,437 ± 1,887 (SE). Semipermanent wetlands supported the greatest total number of use-days and the greatest number of use-days relative to wetland area. Species richness ranged from 0 to 42 (x̄ = 10.0 ± 1.5 [SE]), and 5 of these species were classified as endangered in Illinois. Density of waterfowl breeding pairs ranged from 0.0 pairs/ha to 16.6 pairs/ha (x̄ = 1.9 ± 0.5 [SE] pairs/ha), and 16 species of wetland birds were identified as local breeders. Density of waterfowl broods ranged from 0.0 broods/ha to 3.6 broods/ha and averaged 0.5 ± 0.1 (SE) broods/ha. We also modeled spring stopover use, waterbird species richness, and waterfowl reproduction in relation to spatial, physical, and floristic characteristics of CREP wetlands. The best approximating models to explain variation in all 3 dependent variables included only the covariate accounting for level of hydrologic management (i.e., none, passive, or active). Active management was associated with 858% greater use-days during spring than sites with only passive water management. Sites where hydrology was passively managed also averaged 402% greater species richness than sites where no hydrologic management was possible. Density of waterfowl broods was 120% greater on passively managed sites than on sites without water management but was 29% less on sites with active compared to passive hydrologic management. Densities of waterfowl broods also were greatest when ratios of open water to cover were 70:30. Models that accounted for vegetation quality and landscape variables ranked lower than models based solely on hydrologic management or vegetation cover in all candidate sets. Although placement and clustering of sites may be critical for maintaining populations of some wetland bird species, these factors appeared to be less important for attracting migrant waterbirds in our study area. In the context of restored CREP wetlands, we suggest the greatest gains in waterbird use and reproduction may be accomplished by emphasizing site-specific restoration efforts related to hydrology and floristic structure. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(3):654–664; 2008)     

Relationship between biodiversity and landscape structure in the Gyungan stream basin,central Korea

The relationship between landscape structure and biodiversity was investigated in the Gyungan stream basin, central Korea, in order to prepare a biodiversity conservation plan. The study area was divided into upstream, midstream, downstream and Gonjiam stream sub‐watersheds based on the land use pattern of each sub‐watershed. The quality of the terrestrial landscape was assessed by connectivity and percentages of deciduous broad‐leaved forest and urbanized area. The quality of the terrestrial landscape was the highest in the downstream sub‐watershed followed by Gonjiam stream, midstream and upstream sub‐watersheds. The quality of the riparian landscape assessed by percentages of the number and the area that the wetland vegetation elements occupy in the whole area showed a similar trend to that of terrestrial landscape. The diversity of all taxa including fish, reptiles and amphibians, birds, mammals and wetland vegetation except benthic macroinvertebrates was the highest downstream. The diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates was the highest in the Gonjiam stream sub‐watershed. Thus, biodiversity was shown to be the highest in the downstream sub‐watershed, followed, in order, by Gonjiam stream, midstream and upstream sub‐watersheds in proportion to landscape quality. On the other hand, the quality of the aquatic environment based on the ecological score of benthic macroinvertebrate (ESB) index was the highest downstream, followed, in order, by upstream, Gonjiam stream and midstream areas. This trend is different from that of biodiversity. In order to improve landscape quality degraded by excessive land use and to increase biodiversity, we recommended a restoration plan that addresses both ecosystem and landscape.     

Field-based assessment of wetland condition,wetland extent,and the National Wetlands Inventory in Kentucky,USA

The economic and ecological importance of wetlands is well documented, but there are few studies that have assessed wetland condition and extent for the United States. Many states, including Kentucky, have had no statewide field evaluation of wetlands of any kind. The National Wetland Inventory (NWI) is the largest database for mapped wetlands in the United States and the most comprehensive source of wetland information for Kentucky, but its value for determining wetland condition is limited. Therefore, our objectives were to document wetland extent and condition and assess the agreement between the NWI and field-based wetland characteristics in Kentucky. We conducted field and remote-sensing based assessments of 352 wetlands across the state. NWI-mapped and field-assessed wetlands had similar large-scale patterns; however, for individual wetlands, classification often disagreed. Based on our wetland assessment method, wetlands appear to be of moderate condition, although we found differences among basins, dominant vegetation types, and landscape positions and much variation as many sites scored very low and high. Our findings support previous work showing that rapid assessments are valuable for determining wetland condition for ambient monitoring and other applications. Also, our results provide the foundation for future status and trends studies and suggest an urgent need to update the NWI in Kentucky and elsewhere. We suggest that the NWI could be improved by using newer technology that increases wetland mapping accuracy and including predictions of wetland condition using the enhanced NWI approach.     

A multi-criteria,ecosystem-service value method used to assess catchment suitability for potential wetland reconstruction in Denmark

Wetlands provide a range of ecosystem services such as drought resistance, flood resistance, nutrient deposition, biodiversity, etc. This study presents a new multi-criteria, ecosystems service value-driven method to drive the optimal placement of restored wetlands in terms of maximizing selected ecosystem services which a wetland can provide or affect. We aim to answer two questions: 1) which of the ecosystem services indicators defines the placement of wetlands today? 2) Based on the ecosystem services indicator assessment, what are the recommendations for future selection of catchments for potential wetland reconstruction (i.e. restoration)?Five key ecosystem services indicators produced or affected by wetlands in Denmark were mapped (recreational potential, biodiversity, nitrogen mitigation potential, inverse land rent, and flash-flood risk). These services were compared to current placements of wetlands. Furthermore, scenario testing and hotspot analysis were combined to provide future recommendations for optimal placements of wetlands. The scenarios investigated were Climate Adaptation and Protection of Aquatic Environment, Land-Based Economy, and Rich Nature. Based on these scenarios, the most suitable areas for wetland reconstruction were mapped, taking both the scenarios and attached weightings of ecosystem services indicators into account.According to statistical results current reconstructed wetlands are situated in catchments with lower biodiversity, higher nitrogen mitigation potential, higher land rent (i.e. agricultural intensive areas), and to some extent higher flash flood risk compared to the median of catchments with wetlands. Hence, recreation potential, high biodiversity, and low land rent has not been prioritized. 35 out of the 3023 catchments investigated were identified with an especially high suitability when optimizing all scenarios. This coincides with a high suitability around peri-urban and urban areas and near natural areas, hence capturing both supply and demand services. Of the 35 identified catchments with potentially high suitability, only 2 actually hold a presently reconstructed wetland. This indicates a prior placement with almost no consideration of maximizing ecosystem services benefits.We recommend a systematic approach, such as the ecosystem service value-driven method demonstrated in the present case study, to target more services and improve the overall benefit from wetlands. This approach seeks to inform decision makers of synergies in the landscape, which is likely to transcend future policy implementations.     

Wetlands classification for amphibian conservation in Mediterranean landscapes

Habitat fragmentation and alteration have been described as the major factors relating to the decline observed in several amphibian species. In Spain, these processes are mainly associated with the large agricultural land area, the widespread use of toxic substances, and the agricultural practices used. All these aggressions affect wetlands and their watersheds, which are essential aquatic systems for many amphibian species. In an effort to discover where conservation and specific action plans could be more necessary, this study relates the amphibian richness in 28 representative Mediterranean wetlands to their characteristics and the activities carried out on their watershed. The required information considers diverse wetland variables. Our results show that watershed habitat heterogeneity is significantly positively correlated with amphibian richness, while the percentage of the watershed area devoted to olive cultivation is negatively correlated with it. The results allow us to classify wetlands according to their importance for amphibian conservation. Our results also show that 80% of the studied wetlands need specific action plans. Especially, more sustainable cultivation methods are required considering drastic changes in current agricultural practices. Finally, our data provides a baseline to understand future alterations due to agricultural practices.     

Relationships between National Wetlands Inventory maps and hydrophytic vegetation in Florida

This paper reports a preliminary investigation about National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) maps to see how they might be used in conjunction with other sources of information to provide offsite wetlands regulatory delineation. A geographic information system was used to overlay and compare NWI maps with ground-based tree species composition data from the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis program (FIA). Ninety plots located in the Apalachicola National Forest in northern Florida were used. The NWI mapped 42 of the 90 plots as wetlands. FIA data was used to calculate Prevalence Index (PI) scores. Twenty-four additional plots had PI < 3.0 and thus had hydrophytic vegetation. These plots may also have been wetlands by the Cowardin definition. The hypothesis that wetland identification did not differ between natural-origin versus planted forests was evaluated. NWI classified 61% of natural stands with PI <3.0 as wetlands, whereas 38% of planted stands with PI < 3.0 were mapped as wetlands. There were statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) in the relationships between hydrophytic vegetation and wetland status for plantations and natural-origin stands. FIA data was used to compare the actual frequency of species found in wetlands with the frequency ranges assigned for the NWI Regional Indicators. The observed frequency of occurrence in NWI-mapped wetlands agreed with the Regional Indicator frequency range for 6 of the 18 species. Most species not in agreement were reasonably close to their assigned frequency range, but some differed substantially. While this was a pilot-scale study, we believe that this technique can ultimately yield valuable new information on the tree characteristics of NWI wetlands, especially at larger spatial scales, such as states or regions.     

Landscape diversity and forest edge density regulate stream water quality in agricultural catchments

It is well known that the composition of land cover within a watershed plays a large role in regulating stream water quality. However, there remains significant uncertainty regarding the effect of spatial configuration of different types of land cover on water quality. Using periphytic algae (diatoms) as indicators of stream trophic state, we investigated the relationship between landscape configuration and water quality in a large number of watersheds (590) at varying catchment scales in Eastern Canada. Variation partitioning analysis showed that landscape configuration explained 48% of the variation in water quality. However, since the physiographic setting constrains most agricultural activities, most of the variation was attributed to the shared influence of surficial deposits, land cover and landscape configuration (34%). The results from regression models showed that the geomorphological setting of watersheds (surficial deposits and slopes) and the proportion of different land cover types (mainly forests, wetlands, crops and urban areas) have a major impact on stream water quality. Nevertheless, a few configuration metrics emerged as important factors. Landscape diversity appeared to have a negative impact on water quality, whereas forest and wetland edge densities had a positive impact. Moreover, the influence of these lanscape metrics seems to occur at certain thresholds. In areas of intensive farming, streams with a forest area that covers at least 47% of the watershed have a better water quality. Below this threshold, eutrophic and meso-eutrophic conditions are more frequent in streams and rivers. The shape and location of forested patches were also found to be relevant. Woodlands and wetlands with an edge density higher than 36 m/ha and located along streams and gullies have a positive impact on water quality. For the same proportion of forest, complex patches will be more efficient filters than large regular patches. Forest edge density seems to control the extent of the interface with the agricultural sources and thus promotes the “sink” effect of forests on nutrients.     

图们江下游湿地生态系统健康评价

湿地是世界上具有独特结构与功能的生态系统,图们江流域湿地生态系统的健康对该区乃至东北亚地区综合生态系统网络的建设具有重要意义。选择图们江流域下游为研究区,基于压力-状态-响应(PSR)模型,在压力系统、状态系统、响应系统三个层面选取30个指标构建了图们江下游湿地生态系统健康评价指标体系,运用层次分析法和多级模糊综合评判法对研究区湿地生态健康状况进行综合评价,其结果为0.5878,处于亚健康状态。其中,压力系统的健康指数为0.5292,响应系统的健康指数为0.6866,状态系统的健康指数为0.5116,各等级隶属度S=(16.83%, 25.37%, 16.76%, 16.97%,24.07%)。主要表现在研究区域湿地的补水水质差,导致湿地水质污染加重,富营养化现象严重;并且由于人为因素,湿地大面积退化,景观破碎化加剧,功能逐渐丧失,生产力水平下降;急需对本区域湿地进行保护与管理。     

Restoration of Wetlands from Abandoned Rice Fields for Nutrient Removal, and Biological Community and Landscape Diversity

A number of experimental freshwater wetlands (150 m long × 75 m wide) with different ages since they were abandoned as rice fields, were used to analyze the prospects of multipurpose wetland restoration for such degraded areas. Nitrogen and phosphorus removal rate of the wetlands were determined monthly during the flooding season to estimate their efficiency as filters to remove nutrients from agricultural sewage. The number of wetland birds was recorded regularly to identify their habitat preferences. Both the temporal dynamics and changes in the spatial pattern of land use cover during the last 20 years were determined from aerial photographs and field analysis. All the wetlands appeared to be very efficient in the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus exported from rice fields. Usually 50–98% of the nitrogen and less than 50% of the soluble phosphorus were removed by the wetlands at any stage of restoration. Wetland birds preferred wetlands with intermediate plant cover for resting and sleeping activities better than rice fields and either very open wetlands or very dense ones with tall vegetation. Apart from the improvement in water quality and the restoration of natural habitats, restoration of wetland belts around lagoons will increase spatial heterogeneity and diversity of the landscape.     

Extent, properties, and landscape setting of geographically isolated wetlands in urban southern New England watersheds

We assessed the extent and characteristics of geographically isolated wetlands (i.e., wetlands completely surrounded by upland) in a series of watersheds in the urban northeast US. We applied a previously developed index of urbanization to a sample of 10 watersheds selected at random from a set of 30 watersheds whose boundaries lay within the borders of Rhode Island, USA. The index of urbanization in our sample watersheds ranged over more than an order of magnitude and increased with increasing amount of urban land use in the watersheds (r ² = 0.51, F = 8.22, P = 0.02). The density of isolated wetlands in the watersheds averaged 1.93 ± 0.21 wetlands km⁻² and comprised 38.2 ± 1.77% of all wetlands. Isolated wetlands were smaller than those connected to other waters (non-isolated), and accounted for 6.01–16.5% of the total wetland area in the watersheds. The area of isolated wetlands as a percent of all wetland area significantly increased with increasing watershed urbanization (r ² = 0.62, F = 12.9, P = 0.007). Isolated wetlands were predominantly deciduous forested wetlands, and urban land cover in the 50 m buffer surrounding isolated wetlands was significantly higher than in the 50 m surrounding non-isolated wetlands. The proportion of urban land cover was greater in a 150 than a 50 m buffer surrounding the wetlands. Our results suggest that an increase in the index of urbanization of 50 will result in 7% of the watershed’s wetlands being lost from federal protection. These findings indicate that the process of urbanization, along with accompanying habitat fragmentation, may result in an increase in the vulnerability of wetlands to loss and degradation and therefore has implications for the management and conservation of geographically isolated wetlands.     

Opportunistic wetland formation on reconstructed landforms in a sub-humid climate: influence of site and landscape-scale factors

Initiation of wetland features is integral to sustaining landscape eco-hydrological function and meeting defined goals in surface mine reclamation. Within the sub humid climate of the Athabasca Oil Sands, Canada, the water generation mechanisms (external water sources, internal feedback mechanisms) that enable wetlands to form opportunistically on recently reconstructed landscapes are currently unknown, restricting the flexibility in mine closure planning. To address this knowledge gap, we interpret site and local physical characteristics of opportunistic wetlands within the Athabasca Oil Sands through a synoptic survey. Wetlands formed in ~?8% of the random survey transect areas designed and planted for forestlands. Wetlands had vegetation structures characteristic of woody Salix spp. swamps and narrow-leaved Carex spp. marsh wetland types, with minor coverage of open water marshes. Wetlands formed opportunistically over a range of slopes, aspects and topographic positions, across contrasting fine and coarse-textured landforms. However, different wetland establishment and maintenance controls exist on fine and coarse-textured landforms. On coarse-textured landforms with large groundwater transmissivity, wetland formation was influenced by landscape-scale factors; wetlands were restricted to the toes of slopes and areas intersecting groundwater. On fine-textured constructed landforms, small and large wetlands occurred on lower landscape elevations with the potential for the external (cumulative) water sources, and in hydrologically isolated locations with little potential for runoff contribution from adjacent forestlands (saturation and wetland formation through internal feedback mechanisms). Regardless of landscape position, wetlands formed on flat areas and in shallow inward draining endorheic pans with clay rich soils where low water storage potential promotes frequent surface saturation. These findings have important implications in landscape reclamation design, suggesting that passive techniques that support internal feedback mechanisms may offer a more cost effective reclamation approach compared to more active, expensive techniques that aim to develop wetlands with external water sources.

     

Predicted Effect of Landscape Position on Wildlife Habitat Value of Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program Wetlands in a Tile‐drained Agricultural Region

Justification for investment in restored or constructed wetland projects are often based on presumed net increases in ecosystem services. However, quantitative assessment of performance metrics is often difficult and restricted to a single objective. More comprehensive performance assessments could help inform decision‐makers about trade‐offs in services provided by alternative restoration program design attributes. The primary goal of the Iowa Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program is to establish wetlands that efficiently remove nitrates from tile‐drained agricultural landscapes. A secondary objective is provision of wildlife habitat. We used existing wildlife habitat models to compare relative net change in potential wildlife habitat value for four alternative landscape positions of wetlands within the watershed. Predicted species richness and habitat value for birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles generally increased as the wetland position moved lower in the watershed. However, predicted average net increase between pre‐ and post‐project value was dependent on taxonomic group. The increased average wetland area and changes in surrounding upland habitat composition among landscape positions were responsible for these differences. Net change in predicted densities of several grassland bird species at the four landscape positions was variable and species‐dependent. Predicted waterfowl breeding activity was greater for lower drainage position wetlands. Although our models are simplistic and provide only a predictive index of potential habitat value, we believe such assessment exercises can provide a tool for coarse‐level comparisons of alternative proposed project attributes and a basis for constructing informed hypotheses in auxiliary empirical field studies.